On Sunday, February 4, 2024, a tragic incident occurred in Austin's 600 block of West Anderson Lane, resulting in the death of an unidentified passenger. According to the Austin Police Department (APD), the passenger exited their vehicle while it was still in motion and was subsequently struck by another vehicle that fled the scene without stopping.
"The passenger of a vehicle exited the car while it was still in motion," stated the preliminary investigation report.
Regrettably, the passenger was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the vehicle in which the passenger was traveling remained at the scene and is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation. The driver was found not to be impaired.
"This incident is being investigated as Austin's 3rd fatal crash of 2024, resulting in 3 fatalities for the year," confirmed APD.
The APD emphasized that the information provided is based on the initial assessment of the fatal crash, and further investigation is still pending. Therefore, the fatality information is subject to change.
In light of this tragic event, APD is urging anyone with any information related to the incident to come forward. They can contact APD's Vehicular Homicide unit at 512-974-8111. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, they can submit tips through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477. It is worth noting that a reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest.
The loss of life in this traffic fatality serves as a somber reminder of the importance of road safety and the need for vigilance while on the streets. The APD continues to work diligently to ensure the safety of the community and prevent such tragic incidents from occurring in the future.